As part of Nature Canada’s annual Nature on the Hill event, Alberta Wilderness Association is one of the many nature groups advocating to protect Canadian species through habitat protection, and make good on the government’s promise to protect 30 percent of Canadian land, water and ocean by 2030.

About Alberta Wilderness Association

Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA), founded in 1965, works throughout Alberta towards more representative and connected protection of the unique and vital landscapes that are the source of our clean water, clean air, and wildlife habitat. With over 7,500 members and supporters in Alberta, across Canada and around the world AWA remains committed to ensuring protection of wildlife and wild places in Alberta for all Canadians.

Alberta Wilderness Association is advocating for an Action Plan that…

Protects 30 percent of land and water by 2030
Alberta Wilderness Association has long advocated for expanding Alberta’s network of representative protected areas that will contribute to protecting 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.

One example is fighting for adequate habitat protection for species at risk such as Woodland Caribou and Greater Sage-grouse, both federal priority species whose protection helps conserve vital peatlands, old forests and grasslands ecosystems. AWA is calling on the federal government to designate more critical habitat for Sage-Grouse under emergency protection order, and to point out deficiencies in Alberta upholding its commitments under their joint Species at Risk Act Conservation Agreement for caribou.

Supports Indigenous-led conservation
AWA would like to see more federal funding towards advancing Indigenous conservation initiatives. For example, the boreal woodland caribou Conservation Agreement between Canada, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation (ACFN) and Mikisew Cree First Nation (MCFN) helped to develop the 2022 ACFN-MCFN Tâdzié-Sagow Atihk Stewardship Plan for Richardson, Red Earth, East Side of the Athabasca River and West Side of the Athabasca River caribou ranges. This visionary plan sets measurable goals and timelines to reach 80 percent undisturbed habitat in these ranges by 2061, so caribou populations can recover.

Fights climate change
Peatlands, old forests and grasslands are important carbon stores. Protecting them helps fight climate change by removing and keeping greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

You can help!

You can help Nature Canada and our Nature Network partners like Alberta Wilderness Association to halt and reverse nature loss at Nature on the Hill by sending a letter now to the Prime Minister demanding an Action Plan that:

• Protects 30 percent of land and water by 2030
• Establishes more Marine Protected Areas
• Supports Indigenous-led conservation
• Fights climate change by planting trees and protecting carbon-rich ecosystems

Speak up now!